Table 1 Overview of the methods with the best analytical performance for the detection of miRNA, ctDNA, CTCs and exosomes using various nanoparticles/nanomaterials
Nanoparticles | Lowest limit of detection (LOD)/Method used | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
miRNA | ctDNA | CTCs | Exosomes | |
Gold nanoparticles | 0.33 aM, 1 aM—0.1 nM graphdiyne decorated with AuNPs photoelectrochemistry 6.8 aM, 10 aM—10 pM DSN amplification electrochemistry single-molecule detection, SPR | 100 aM, 0.1–10 fM PCR amplification lateral flow assay | 10 CTCs (10 cells/mL) 10–100 cells/mL RCA amplification ICP-MS | 32 exosomes/μL 1.25 × 105–1.25 × 109 exosomes/mL SERS |
Graphene oxide | 10 aM, 50 aM–5 fM DSN amplification pulse voltametry | – | 2CTCs/4 mL, immunostaining | 50 exosomes/μL 106–109 exosomes/mL fluorescence |
Other carbon nanomaterials | 0.1 aM, 0.15–20 aM  + AuNPs, fluorescence 0.3 aM, 1 aM–0.1 μM  + MnO2 nanosheets fluorescence | 0.3 fM, 10 fM–1 nM RNase HII amplification SWCNTs, SERS | 2 CTCs (20 cells/mL) 102–106 cells/mL electrochemiluminescence | 5.2 × 105 exosomes/μL 1.84 × 109–2.21 × 1010 exosomes/mL colorimetric |
Quantum dots | 17 aM, 50 aM–50 pM DSN amplification photoelectrochemistry | – | 1 CTC, fluorescence microscopy 1 CTC, fluorescence (QDs-magnetic NPs) | 100 exosomes/μL 105—1010 exosomes/mL stripping voltametry |
Copper nanoparticles | 10 aM, 0.1 fM–10 pM HCR, SDA and T7 exonuclease amplification electrochemistry | – | – | 4.8 × 104 exosomes/μL 7.5 × 107–1.5 × 1010 exosomes/mL fluorescence |
Silver nanoparticles | 1 aM, 1 aM–1 nM Au/Ag nanocube, LSPR | 40.4 aM, 1 fM–1 μM HCR amplification SERS | 1 CTC/2 μL (6 cells/mL) 50–105 cells/mL Chriplasmonic 1 CTC/mL 10–103 cells/mL Ag-iron oxide NPs, SERS | 1 exosome/2 μL 5.4 × 102–2.7 × 1010 exosomes/mL SERS |
Magnetic (iron) nanoparticles | 10 aM, 10 aM–10 nM gold-coated magnetic nanoparticles electrochemistry | - | 1 CTC/mL 1–500 cells/mL SERS | 100 exosomes, magnetic resonance imaging |
Silica nanoparticles | 30 fM, 0.9–10 pM electrochemistry | - | – | – |
Molybdenium disulfide nanomaterials | 30 aM, 0.1 fM–10 nM field-effect transistor | 18 aM, 0.1 fM–0.1 nM electrochemistry | – | – |
Metal–organic frameworks | 350 aM, 1 fM–10 nM AuNPs-MOFs SDA amplification electrochemistry | – | – | – |
Polymer nanoparticles | 17 aM, 50 aM–100 pM polyfluorene polymer nanoparticles electrochemiluminescence | – | – | 37.5 exosomes/mL 0.18–3.0 × 106 exosomes/mL cationic lipid-polymer nanoparticles fluorescence |
Other nanoparticles | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Tungsten diselenide nanosheets | 60 aM, 0.1 fM–100 pM DSN amplification electrochemistry | – | – | – |
ZnO nanostars | 18.6 aM, 100 aM–100 pM electrochemiluminescence | – | – | – |
Bismuth nanoparticles | – | – | 100 CTCs/mL 102–105 cells/mL X-rays | – |